Subtitle: In This World, Only You Are Real
"What are you talking about?" Odasaku asked.
As he said this, Odasaku looked terrifying. He slowly stood up from his seat, placed his hand on the table, and repeated himself.
"What are you talking about?"
Zero crossed his legs and began speaking with his head slightly lowered.
"I don't know."
Atheron stood up and placed a hand on Odasaku's shoulder.
"He's doing this to stir things up. Don't believe him and push yourself toward corruption."
Odasaku closed his eyes and brushed Atheron off.
"Atheron," Zero said, "once a thought enters your mind even once, you can never truly get rid of it."
Zero was smiling as he spoke. He was clearly enjoying the situation.
"Sir!" Poison said. "I'm sure you don't wish to spend too much time here."
Zero began moving as if he had forgotten something. Finally, as if struck by a realization, he stopped in place and spoke.
"Let's forget all that. Let's return to our main topic."
Everyone looked at one another. Strangely, it felt as though no one trusted anyone. As if, at any moment, they could all attack each other or switch sides. That was why Odasaku kept his sword close, Atheron searched for a path to reach his spear, and Poison held a vial in his hand. In this situation, the least prepared one was Zero.
"How will the battle formation be?" Odasaku asked.
"I think the vanguard should first scan the entire area, and they should be people who know this place well," Zero replied.
After saying this, Zero turned around and smiled at Poison. Poison's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
"Understood, sir."
"After the reconnaissance team brings us information," Zero continued, "Odasaku and Atheron will stay here to prevent any corruption from spreading. In the end, Naiadler and I will go up the mountain to defeat the monster."
"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS, NAIADLER WILL BE USELESS THERE!" Odasaku shouted.
"Of course…" Atheron muttered.
Odasaku suddenly turned to Atheron.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
"I think Naiadler will be very useful to me," Zero said calmly.
"He won't even be able to move there! You know how the mountain monster reduced him last time."
"That's exactly why I need him," Zero replied. "He's seen its movements."
I brought my hand to my chest. Something began to gather there. I wasn't sure what it was, but it didn't make me uneasy. So I did nothing. I simply waited.
"If you don't approve," Zero said coldly, "I'll shatter the child's soul."
Zero was angry. Instinctively, I touched his face.
"Why are you angry?" Apollon asked. "You could handle all of them on your own if you wanted. Why are you doing this?"
Suddenly, Zero laughed warmly. He rolled his eyes and began to grin "just like my sister." He withdrew whatever he had been gathering in my chest and calmed down.
"If you understand," he said, "then you'll approve."
Odasaku and Atheron couldn't see us, but during that time I started tugging at Zero's cheeks. Even though Zero tried not to react, it was obvious I was getting on his nerves.
"Then… I'll take my position," Odasaku said.
Atheron began polishing his spear, while Odasaku left the house. He walked without caring about the rain. Eventually, he leaned against one of the walls. Odasaku stared up at the sky. Finally, he pulled out a cigarette pack. He took a cigarette from it and tried to light it in the rain.
I tried to take the cigarette from his hand with my spirit form. Suddenly, Zero appeared and took the unlit cigarette from Odasaku's mouth.
"You shouldn't smoke in front of your student."
Odasaku narrowed his eyes and looked at Zero as if he were in pain. Zero leaned against the wall and started laughing.
"Do you regret saving me that day?" Zero asked.
"No," Odasaku replied. "If it happened again, I'd save you again."
"Even though you created a monster?"
"I don't need a reason to save someone."
Zero closed his eyes.
"Arina really changed you, didn't she?"
Odasaku turned his face away.
"Yes…"
"But you couldn't save her…"
Arina? Were they talking about my sister? How could my sister have met Odasaku?
Zero turned away and began to walk off.
"Despite saying that," Odasaku called out, "weren't you the one who tried to resurrect her?"
Zero ignored his words and kept walking.
The rain was pouring so heavily that staying dry was impossible. Yet no one made any effort to protect themselves. It was as if everyone saw it as a punishment.
"Apollon," Zero asked, "do you think I'm a bad person?"
"You're gray," Apollon answered. "Neither black nor white."
"No one can be black or white," Zero said. "Could you even call yourself white when you were a baby?"
"No."
By the time we finished speaking, we had already arrived at the house. Zero cracked the door open and glanced inside. Atheron was pacing back and forth. Finally, Zero entered.
"I see you're worried," Zero said.
"Someone made sure of that," Atheron replied.
"Seriously?" Zero snapped. "You want me alive? Were you a good person?"
Atheron was furious. Zero, unnoticed by anyone, slipped an envelope into Naiadler's hand and fled.
"The reconnaissance team should already be on the move," Zero said. "You should follow them."
"I didn't want to hang around you anyway!" Apollon shot back.
As we walked away, Zero whispered something.
"Let's see what the First Rule will do."
End of Chapter